The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

This is where you can come to post rumors you hear about bands either breaking up or getting back together.

First off - Animal Collective. Supposedly there's a rumor going around that they're breaking up. Of course, these rumors have been largely spread by less than credible internet sites and a KXLU dj, but still.

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

Fuck you guys, this thread is officially getting used for good and not evil.

Olivia Tremor Control have a new song out there. It's one of their experimental tracks, so you don't get the incredible multivocalled pop goodness, but dammit, it's a new Olivia Tremor Control song! That's a reunion that's worth caring about.

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

“The animosity within the group—I hope at some point we can let it all go,” Harris says. “I don’t think we need to be brooding and at each other’s throats to make good music.”

Last summer, Knopf, frustrated with the progress of the new album, decided to release 11 of his own songs under the name Ramona Falls, whose debut, Intuit, features a handful of songs Knopf wrote for Menomena that were rejected by the band.

“I brought a lot of songs to the chopping block that were pretty fleshed out, including one I thought was the best song I’ve even written, and it didn’t make the album [Mines],” Knopf says. “It wasn’t a very enjoyable process.”

The 33-year-old is the most misunderstood member of the band. Clean-shaven and soft-spoken, he chooses his words carefully. When asked if he’s happy with Mines, his eyes again dart to the side. “Define the word ‘happy,’” he says.

He’s also the one enamored with the idea of branching away from the Menomena base. This spring Ramona Falls opened five West Coast dates for arty New York band the National, which Knopf says was the most enjoyable experience he’s ever had on tour. He gets excited when talking about both the help he received from friends (35 musicians contributed to the album) and a recording session he oversaw in South Africa for the indie-folk quartet Dear Reader.

Knowing this, it’s entirely possible to think this might be Menomena’s last album.

According to Pitchfork’s Tangari, Mines is Menomena’s transitional record. “The album has this very consistent atmosphere that allows the lyrics to fit into this narrative,” he says. “There is a series of phrases that pop up over it that give you the sense of a band growing old, to put it really simply. Of course, they’re not old yet—but growing into middle age is sometimes just as traumatic as growing old.”

“It’s easy to sustain a rock-’n’-roll fantasy in your 20s, but when you get to be 30 or so you start to reevaluate all these things,” Seim says. But although Knopf, Seim and Harris aren’t always on the same page—let alone in the same room—it’s clear that they share a special musical chemistry. The three all speak about keeping “the core” intact, knowing that the sum is better than its individual parts.

“I truly believe we’re at our strongest when the three of us are contributing equally,” Harris says.

Many of Portland’s finest musicians agree. Menomena is known as a band’s band and carries all sorts of admirers in town, from the Helio Sequence’s Benjamin Weikel—who took the band under his wing during its early days—to local songwriter and author Nick Jaina, who covered Friend and Foe’s “Rotten Hell” at a performance at City Hall in July.

“Menomena has consistently been my favorite band in Portland the last decade,” Jaina says. “At every moment of their songs, each member is doing something individually intriguing that also fits into the band context. Watching the band is like watching a magic act, and I’m always baffled at how they can pull off every trick.”

Most bands are lucky to release one critically acclaimed record; Menomena now has four. But is the band willing to endure numerous ugly spats to get to No. 5?

“We’re four albums into it and it’s not getting any better, so maybe this is just how we do it,” Harris says.

Knopf responds with a different sentiment. “It was important for us to see this record through,” he says. “But I don’t think any of us are that interested in doing this again if it’s for nothing.” This time, there’s no question he’s telling the truth.

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

Sorry if you guys have already made 5 threads reporting this since yesterday, but per their Myspace Blog- As Tall As Lions done.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

A Sort of Farewell.
After eight years of music, friendship, laughter, adventure, bliss, blood, sweat, tears, and everything else that goes along with it, As Tall As Lions are retiring for the foreseeable future. There is no sadness on our side, and we hope there is none on yours. We will be playing a handful of shows across the country to try and give everyone an opportunity to see us one last time.

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

Who?

Originally Posted by bmack86

And it's been long established that Chris hates fun.

Originally Posted by Hatinisbad

I took my niece this year and it was her first Coachella. It was so fun to see it through her eyes. She thought it felt like a magical scene from Shreck. The one where all the fairy tale creatures meet for the first time in Shreck's swamp.

Re: The Band Breakup/Reunion Rumors Thread

Originally Posted by bballarl

I listened to the fourth album again recently. It was better than I remembered it being.

I'll put that on my to do list.I love the verve and still tick off that they didn't come back to do a proper US tour. At Coachella we didn't even get one song from A storm in heaven. Yet vegas get's already there URGH!!!!!